Standard Presentation Australian Marine Sciences Association Annual Meeting 2023

A different picture: seabed mapping on Gumbaynggirr and Yaegl sea country in the Solitary Islands (#155)

Tim Ingleton 1 , Michael Sutherland 2 , Bradley Morris 3 , Neil Doszpot 4 , Andrew Williams 5 , Emily Harris 6 , Cath Samson 7
  1. Science Economics and Insights/ Waters Wetlands and Coasts, New South Wales Department of Planning and Environment, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  2. Science Economics and Insights/ Waters Wetlands and Coasts, New South Wales Department of Planning and Environment, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  3. Science Economics and Insights/ Waters Wetlands and Coasts, New South Wales Department of Planning and Environment, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  4. Science Economics and Insights/ Waters Wetlands and Coasts, New South Wales Department of Planning and Environment, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  5. Biodiversity and Conservation, New South Wales Department of Planning and Environment, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
  6. Marine Parks Management Temperate East, Parks Australia, Kingston, Tasmania, Australia
  7. Marine Parks Management, Parks Australia, Kingston, Tasmania, Australia

In the Temperate East Bioregion, marine parks over the continental shelf are relatively small ranging from 4km2 (Cod Grounds) to ~1300km2 (Hunter). These areas lie adjacent to Australia’s most intensely populated coastline, and are exposed to fishing, shipping and extreme events in a rapidly warming East Australian Current. While multibeam coverage for the Hunter shelf is ~30%, only the smallest is fully mapped.

In 2022, the NSW government was contracted to map and complete coverage of the Commonwealth’s Solitary Islands Marine Park (SIMP). The aim of the surveys was to 1) provide high-resolution multibeam, towed-video and sediment data to characterise benthic habitats; 2) seek opportunities to engage/collaborate with first nations communities.

The park’s seabed can broadly be characterised as reef/mixed habitats (northern), soft sediment plains (centrally) and mobile sands (southern). Reefs are >30m (mesophotic),semi-continuous or patchy to isolated, and low-profile, covering <10% of the park’s area. Sediments and imagery were acquired according to the national Field Manuals and, complementing 2012 surveys, provide the first full picture of SIMP benthic diversity. Engagement and collaboration with Gumbaynggirr and Yaegl communities included sea-time for first nations coxswains and consultation on best-practice approaches for communication and knowledge sharing on benthic habitats and sea country.